


It's Your Turn

by azirafelle



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Bathing/Washing, Dinner, Fluff, Fun, M/M, Poetic, Suggestive Themes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-25
Updated: 2021-02-25
Packaged: 2021-03-16 15:34:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,732
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29702739
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/azirafelle/pseuds/azirafelle
Summary: Arthur thinks he's going to be the one wooing Merlin, but Merlin is always a step ahead of him. Fluffy and flowery ficlet about getting together and Merlin being a little shit <3
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 79





	It's Your Turn

Arthur's stomach flipped over yet again. Surely it could not be a good idea? And yet, what an idea it was. He hoped it'd work, and at the same time he really didn't. What was he supposed to do if it did? 

Alright, here was the plan: Merlin's complaints regarding the severity of his job had grown to a clamor over the past weeks, and he intended to put a stop to them. But placating Merlin was not the sole objective of the plan. The other objective... the other objective was to woo him. Yes. Woo. It had taken him months to go through the five stages of grief about his magnetic attraction to the boy and was finally prepared. At first, he hadn't been sure what it was at all; a tingle when his eyes met the servant's, a gasp when Merlin's fingers grazed his wrist, the desire to reach out and touch. And Merlin's loyalty and devotion... surely, this devotion was merely that of a citizen for his prince and nothing more. Anyone tasked with looking after Arthur would be thrilled to do it, he assumed, so at first he didn't give Merlin's attachment to him a second thought. But as time went on and Merlin convinced him that, no, he was not a joy to work for... maybe his manservant really did feel some sort of way for him. After all, if Arthur was so annoying and onerous, why had Merlin said he'd be happy to serve him until his dying breath? 

Not that the wooing could escape the intimacy of his quarters - his father would have his head were it found that he was trying to court his servant - but just there, in the privacy of twilight, maybe even in Arthur's bed... 

Merlin's noisy morning arrival drew him out from his thoughts. The sorcerer's eyes were bright and the tip of his nose was dusted with the blush of an autumn morning. He brought in with him the scent of falling leaves and cider spices. 

The prince waited patiently while Merlin went over what he had to do for the day and laid out his clothes. As he was dressing, Arthur called over the divider screen, "Merlin, what are you doing tonight? After you've gone with Gaius to check on the Lady Aoife?" 

Merlin paused a moment, double-checking he hadn't forgotten one of his or the prince's engagements. 

"Ah, nothing, I think, Sire," he responded, pretty confident about his answer.

"Good. I'd like it if you'd return to my quarters before you retire for the evening. Do you think you'll be able to, Merlin? It might take a while." Arthur was glad of the dressing-screen hiding his beet-red face. He heard a confused silence on the other side before Merlin regained his composure and simply said, "Of course." 

Arthur wondered a little at this. Usually, Merlin would be asking all sorts of questions: What do you need me for? Why? What will we be doing? Why won't you tell me? Can I guess? But there was none of that. Just simple acquiescence. 

Arthur reappeared fully dressed, allowing Merlin to adjust his tunic and hand him a jacket. 

\-------

Merlin's head was full of thoughts all day long, and he found himself barely paying attention to what he was doing. As he strolled past market stalls with Gwen in search of medicinal herbs, he recounted to her how Arthur had so mysteriously requested his presence. Gwen, ever the comedienne, suggested that perhaps he was meant to be the Prince's royal bed-toy. After all, he'd said it might take a while. Merlin pretended to be disgusted at the thought but he wasn't. 

\------ 

It was dark outside when Merlin made his way back to the great heavy doors of Arthur's quarters. He never bothered knocking and this time was no different. He stood in the doorway, eyes as big as saucers, because Arthur's quarters looked as if a fairy had shaken down the magic from her wings all over the room. There were more candles than usually, tall and white, with golden warm light flickering steadily from each. The table was set for two - delectable cutlets paired with vegetables so fresh from the harvest they appeared to glisten and glimmer like gemstones on the plate. The fireplace was roaring and thick furs had been laid down in front of it, forming a nest of luxury. The tub was full, perfectly scalding, and lavender-scented perfume rose from the water. 

Merlin thought he was dreaming for a moment before he realized that he must've been called upon to serve a date. Arthur must be entertaining a lady guest in his chambers and needed someone to wait on them while they ate. But just then, Arthur appeared from just around a corner with a bottle of wine in hand. 

"Merlin! I - here, sit." He placed the bottle on the table and pulled out a seat for Merlin. The manservant stared at him incredulously for a second before coming up with a reasonable explanation in his own head. 

"What, you need me to see if it's poisoned? Anyways, you didn't tell me you had a girlfriend." Merlin said, plopping down in the chair and sticking a fork into a bright beet.

"A girlfriend... ? I don't... oh." Suddenly Arthur was seeing what Merlin was seeing and he wasn't quite sure how to rectify it without sounding like an idiot, so he tried to be as straightforward as possible. "This is for you, Merlin, I wanted... I thought with how much you've been complaining lately you deserved a turn." 

"What?" 

"A turn. Your turn. It's your turn to have someone take care of you. I thought... I understand if you're uncomfortable."

"That's kind of you," Merlin said softly, looking up at Arthur through half-lidded eyes. He ate the beet. "But why? This charity is most uncharacteristic of you, Arthur Pendragon." 

Arthur's breath caught in his throat. Merlin knew. He had to know. Out with it, then. There could be no going back. He reached down and placed a hand under Merlin's chin, guiding his gaze up. Merlin's eyes weren't blown, fully, but they were darker than usual, and the energy coursing just below his skin seemed frenetic. Merlin's expression was almost placid but there was something deeply controlled about it, too. Arthur longed to see him uncontrolled, wild, oh... He brought himself back to earth to answer the question. 

"Because I like you more than anyone I've ever met and I wish you to do me the honor of... seeing if you would like to like me too." It had started off elegant and hadn't ended that way. It had ended as if he was a schoolboy confessing his first crush to a girl in pig-tails and freckles. But Merlin didn't seem to mind. 

The sorcerer smiled again, just ever so slightly, something a little sharp behind his gaze. Arthur hoped it was desire but dared not chase. 

In a husky voice, Merlin invited, "Then sit with me, Sire." 

Arthur slowly pulled away, circling the table to sit across from Merlin where he'd laid his own setting. Merlin looked as if he glowed and purred and shimmered in the hot candlelight. He savored every decadent bite, lips closing on each mouthful like a prayer as he met Arthur's gaze now and again, sultry, inviting. 

Arthur wasn't sure what Merlin was trying to do. He hadn't expected this. He had expected an answer - an acquiescence, a denial, something. But Merlin seemed to think that he was in charge of the situation and that no answer need be given at present. Arthur could wait. The evening stretched ahead of them like a road through an enchanted forest. 

When they had finished eating, Merlin stood and stretched lazily. Arthur's breath caught on the sight of his exposed midriff and looked away. Merlin sauntered over to the tub, and began to strip. Arthur was sure he'd died, because there his ethereal manservant was, clothes haphazardly discarded on the floor, leaning against the edge of the tub buck-naked, the angle of his hips disguising whatever interest his cock might've been taking. 

"Will you bathe me?" 

Arthur nodded, uncertain, heart racing. This hadn't been the plan at all. He was supposed to be the one doing the wooing. He wasn't supposed to be uncertain and curious, poised on the edge of Merlin's will. 

He took the washcloth and soap from a bucket aside the tub as Merlin stepped in, sliding down with a moan that anyone would confuse for sexual. Arthur scrubbed across his shoulders, eliciting more of those sounds. He rubbed down Merlin's back, and his arms. The boy seemed to be having the time of his life, melting into Arthur's touch and making no effort to conceal his pleasure. But he put his hand on Arthur's wrist when he reached around to the front. "I can do that; thank you, Sire," he murmured, taking the cloth from the prince. Arthur swallowed hard, stepping away, wanting. Clearly Merlin expected him to be patient. 

He watched as Merlin emerged and dried himself off. He had a fresh pair of his own clothes ready for Merlin to slip into, but the manservant disregarded them. Instead, Merlin laid in front of the fire in the nest of furs, looking positively the picture of luxury. Arthur came and stood over him, looking down into those mischievous blue wells. His patience was wearing thin, damn it all. 

"Merlin... could I touch you?" Merlin nodded, eyes following his prince as he laid next to him and reached out, as if Merlin were so delicate and precious he might break at the contact. 

\---------

The next morning, Merlin woke up in a bed that wasn't his but which he would come to think of as his own shortly enough. Arthur lay beside him, debauched, still blushing in sleep, hair tousled from where Merlin had tugged it violently the night before. A few little bruises peppered the prince's neck. 

Had he really done that? Seduced the crown prince of Camelot? It had all seemed so easy the night before; a perfect dance. But now.. in the harsh morning light... Merlin hoped he hadn't overstepped what Arthur really wanted. 

But Arthur was drifting in and out of sleep and pulling Merlin back into his side. He would always pull Merlin to his side.


End file.
